The Fortune is in the Follow-up

Tech consulting firms waste a lot of time, effort, and money on marketing, with lead generation being a prime example.

How do I know?

When I talk to some consulting firm leaders and ask them to describe the process that happens after a person shows interest in their firm, it’s often a mishmash of actions based on personality, brute force, and hoping to “catch them at the right time.”

Here’s how that conversation goes..

Me: Do you have a well-designed follow-up and nurture process?

Leader: We contact them immediately.

Me: After you say, “Hello, how can we help you?” What happens next?

Leader: We stay in touch.

Me: Are you happy with your results?

Leader: No.

Me: Are you tracking results and improving the process?

Leader: Not really.

Let me be Capt. Obvious: “That’s not good”.

How does this happen?

Most tech consulting firms overconcentrate on “top of the funnel” activity and content.

However, contact capture and prospect generation are nothing without a lead nurturing process.

According to MarkeingSherpa, 79% of marketing leads never convert into sales. Lack of lead nurturing is the common cause of this poor performance.

If you rely on brute force to convert leads (characterized by the attitude of “if I can only talk to the prospect, I’m sure I can convert them”), you will have disappointing results.

Here’s why a well-thought-out follow-up strategy wins over brute-force attempts.

▶️  95-5 Rule of Timing: Not every prospect is ready to buy; in fact, it’s widely believed that only about 5% are actually “in the market” and prepared to buy. They might be in the early stages of research, comparing options, or simply waiting for the right moment. By staying in touch and nurturing the relationship, you position your firm as the go-to expert when the time is right.

▶️  Building Trust and Relationships: Consistent follow-ups enable you to establish a genuine connection with your prospects. People buy from those they know, like, and trust. A well-executed nurturing strategy allows you to foster meaningful connections with your prospects over time. By demonstrating your commitment to their needs and providing valuable insights, you build trust that forms the foundation of a long-lasting customer relationship.

▶️  Personalized Engagement: A well-designed and thoughtful follow-up strategy allows you to tailor your communication to each prospect’s specific pain points, preferences, and buying journey stage.

▶️  Showcasing Expertise: Through the nurturing process, you can showcase your industry knowledge and position your firm as a trusted advisor. By consistently delivering valuable content and insights, you build credibility and stature.

▶️  Maximizing ROI: Acquiring new customers can be costly. From events and campaigns to onboarding and training, acquisition costs add up. By nurturing existing leads, you can make the most of your lead generation investments and see a higher return on your marketing efforts.

▶️  Long-term success: A well-designed nurturing strategy focuses on long-term success (growth) rather than quick wins (gains). By nurturing your prospects through multiple journey stages and building quality relationships, you increase repeat business and loyal customers.

What to do?

Design a follow-up and nurture strategy that increases contact-to-customer success.

Well-designed lead nurturing allows you to assess the prospect’s buying stage and tune their engagement so they receive maximum value.

A successful nurturing process is like a gentle guiding hand, aligning with the person’s current journey stage.   It should allow them to demonstrate their interest and intent, guiding them toward their next stage.

With a nurturing and follow-up strategy, you’ll be better equipped to decide when to hand off to sales.

Companies with mature lead management processes generate 50% more sales-ready leads (Forrester).

The point?

This axiom is true: “The fortune is in the follow-up.”

Instead of relying on brute force conversion tactics that can leave a bad taste in your prospect’s mouth, a well-planned follow-up process allows you to build trust, establish credibility, and close more deals.

The entire process, beginning to end, needs to be planned in detail and executed with purpose; after all, leads represent your firm’s growth.

Want insights on how tech consulting firms can master lead generation?  Check out this new eBook and improve your firm’s results.